By HANA KIM
6 News Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- Toyota started off this week with an apology, and a solution to fix millions of cars with problem gas pedals.
Although there are no verified cases in the Knoxville area, several deaths are being blamed on the pedals, which can sometimes cause cars to accelerate out of control.
Eight models are affected and remain off the market in the U.S.
They include: the 2009-10 RAV4 crossover, the 2009-10 Corolla, the 2009-10 Matrix hatchback, the 2005-10 Avalon, the 2007-10 Camry, the 2010 Highlander crossover, the 2007-10 Tundra pickup and the 2008-10 Sequoia SUV.
Local dealerships got an email Monday morning from Toyota Motor Sales naming the big fix to the faulty gas pedal problem.
"Toyota has come out with a shim that changes the position of the brake pedal so it does not have any way of getting stuck when it's coming back up to the top position," said Toyota Knoxville's General Manager Adam White.
The government-approved parts will arrive at local dealerships by the end of the week.
Although auto experts predict the repair process could take months, Toyota Knoxville says its technicians will be trained and ready to go a lot sooner.
"No, it will not take several months," White said. "As soon as we get our parts, we will begin fixing customers' vehicles."
If you own one of the eight models affected by the recall, your question is probably what to do next.
Toyota Knoxville will be send all its customers a letter by mail with instructions. However, if you're very concerned, you can email the dealer first with all your information, including your car's vehicle identification number (VIN).
"It's going to be a first come, first served basis. If you have sent us an email, we will contact you," White said.
Once your car is in the hands of a technician, the fix will take between one to two hours.
"Those technicians, because they are so concerned with our customers' safety, are willing to work double shifts, open till midnight, 24 hours a day to meet our customers' demands," White said.
That means dealerships will be on overdrive accommodating thousands of affected customers in the area.
The company says the problem is rare, but in all, it has recalled more than 2 million cars because of faulty gas pedals.
The recall follows Toyota's other ongoing recall in which floor mats are being blamed for trapping the gas pedal.
Toyota is in the process of recalling vehicles and is already notifying customers about the floor mat issue.More than 5.5 million vehicles are estimated to have the floor mat problem.
Millions of cars have to be fixed for both recalls. In those cases, Toyota's intention is to fix the sticky gas pedal and floor mat problem at the same time.
